Protesters Bar Delta UTME Candidates From Exam Hall

Hundreds of candidates sitting the ongoing Unified Tertiary
Matriculation Examination in Warri, Delta State, were barred from the
examination hall on Thursday by a mob protesting alleged
marginalisaton by the Petroleum Training Institute.

The protesters, who came from various quarters in Effurun, barricaded
the main entrance of PTI, which is located at the town, and stopped
people from gaining access to the institution.

Consequently, the candidates that were due to sit their UTME
examination in the institution were barred from the school.

The protest also caused serious traffic in that part of the town, with
a spill-over effect on the Warri-Port Harcourt road.

The protesters said they had for long been aggrieved over the
continued marginalisation in the areas of employment, contracts and
other welfare packages.

The protesters, which included men, women and youths, carried placards
with the inscription, 'No employment for our children, no peace for
PTI'; 'PTI has employed 159 persons, we want our 50% job slots'; 'We
want to discuss with the Minister of Petroleum Resources, Deziani
Alison-Madueke'; 'Show me what kind of federal character is being
practised in federal institutions in Nigeria and a lot of others'.

Addressing newsmen, Chairman of Uvwie Community, John Enakireru, said
several fruitless representations had been made to the school
authorities to employ qualified youths from the area.

He said, "We are demanding our fair share of job placements for Uvwie
sons and daughters. But PTI authorities continues to turn deaf ears to
our demands.

"It is sad that in its 42 years of existence, no Uvwie person has held
any key position (in PTI). Yet we say we are one Nigeria.

"We are demanding 40 per cent job placements as contained in the bill
establishing the local content scheme for host communities."

Enakireru said the protesters would continue to block the entrance to
PTI till their request was answered.

The Youth President, Mr. Samson Agboire, explained that the school
authorities had completely ignored them and their patience was running
out.

But the Public Relations Officer of the institute, Mr. Brown
Ukanefemoni, pleaded for calm, explaining that the institution was
already discussing the issue.

According to him, the Acting Principal, John Orukele, is a listening
Chief Executive, stressing that he was taking the matter seriously and
urged the protesters to embrace peace.
--PUNCH